Registering means for sheet-fed printing presses



Jan. 18, 1955 w. F. HUCK ETAL 2,699,940

REGISTERING MEANS FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed Dec. 15,1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l 53 INVENTORS Mum FHA/[K Jan. 18, 1955 w. F. HUCKETAL 2,599,940

REGISTERING MEANS FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed Dec..15, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ML u)? E Huck ine/mew! mar/a fMw/MJan. 18, 1955 'w. F. HUCK ET AL 2,69

REGISTERING MEANS 'FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed Dec.15, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS MLL/HM E Huck HLEXWDH? 1 74519500 zijl Jan. 18, 1955 w. F. HUCK ET AL 2,699,940

REGISTERING MEANS FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Original Filed Dec. 15,1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmunnfiimum mun mam/V054 Man-[#7 falzww l7TTUAUVEYS Jan.l8, 1955 w. F. HUCK ET AL 2,699,940

REGISTERING MEANS FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSEIS Original Filed Dec.15, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WILL/HM E Hut/r ymemwm .1 #45450Vo-MMM United States Patent 0 REGISTERING f/iEANS FOR- SHEET-FEDPRINTING PRESSES William F. Huck, Forest Hills,-N. Y., and Alexander J.Albrecht, West New York, N. 1., assignors to Huck Company, New York, N.Y., a copartnership Original application December 15, 194%, Serial No.133,192. Divided and this application April 15, 1952, Serial No. 282,772

This invention relates to sheet-fed printing pressesand moreparticularly to such presses of the type used primarily to print onsheet metal, cardboard or other materials in the form of sheets stiffenough to be fed to printing position by being pushed from theirtrailing edges.

In printing presses of that type the mechanism usually employed forbringing each sheet into register with the printing member operates toforce the leading edge of the sheet against front register elements. andone side edge of the sheet against a side register element by applyingpressure to the opposite edges of the sheet. The frontregister elementsare surfaces of sheet grippers which are carried by an impressioncylinder and operated by mechanism connected with it.

The constructions used in existing presses are such that the grippersand their frontregister surfaces have a linear speed in the direction oftravel of the approaching sheet thatis considerably less than thesurface speed of the impression cylinder. A sheet moving forward toprinting position and momentarily retarded by contact with the movingregister surfaces does not move at cylinder surface speed at the momentthe grippers close upon it, so if perfect registration is to be attaineda considerable pushing force is required at the trailing edge of thesheet to bring it up to the cylinder surface speed and maintain firmcontact between the leading edge and the register surfaces. Themagnitude of the pushing. force necessary depends upon the accelerationrequired to impart the higher speed to the sheet within theshortinterval occupied by closing of the grippers.

Since the pushing force necessary increases at a rate proportional tothe weight of a sheet and proportional to the square of the speed of thepress there is-a severe limitation upon the production speedofprintingpresses of the type under consideration. pushing force exceed a certainlimit the sheets cannot withstand the force at their edges withoutbuckling or indenting, so the force applied and therefore the pressspeed must be limited. If the pushing forceisless than a certainminimum, which minimum will vary with the press speed, the sheet willslip under the grippers, edge contact with the register surfaces is notmaintained and =misregister results.

Side register of the sheets also presents a problem; In customaryprinting press construction lateral positioning of the sheet is effectedmost commonly by a side register element which moves transversely to theline-of sheet travel and makes contact with a side edge of each sheetonly momentarily just before the grippers closev upon it. Such registerelements are generally in the form of small rollers mounted on axestransverse to the plane of the sheet, so that the area of contact withthe sheet is'small. The rollers and their mountings are of substantialmass and, especially at high speeds, have more or less the action ofhammers with momentarily too much pressure which tends to indent thesheet but is not continued as a sustained pressure to insure lateralmovement of the sheet against an opposite register-stop. Damage to thesheet edge and mis-registration result.

Side register devices moving with the sheet have been proposed toovercome this difficulty but the devices proposed have been costly,inconvenient for installation and unsatisfactory in operation; also theyhave presented sheet engaging means of limited contact area yet ofconsiderable mass, which are liable to damage edges of the If thepressspeed and sheets when accelerated to follow the sheet movementjustbefore the time of gripper action.

The general purpose of this invention is to provide improved registeringmeans for sheet-fed printing presses of the type under considerationandfor other analogous uses which make it practical to operate the pressesat increased speeds and to obtain accurate registration withoutdamage'to the edges of the sheets being printed.

A more particular object is to provide improved means for. registeringthe leading edge of the sheets which will operate effectively andaccurately at high press speeds.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forregistering the side edges of the sheet which will insure accuratepositioning thereof at high press speeds and will not damage the sheets.

According to this invention sheets successively fed to the printing zonebetween a printing member and amtating impression cylinder are eachbrought into accurate register with the printing member by means offront edge positioning elements and side edge positioning elements whichall move together in even contact with .the sheet 'at a linear speedequal to that of the surface of the. im-

pression cylinder as the sheet approaches a predetermined gripping pointwhere it is held to the cylinder surface.

The desired front edge positioning mayv be obtained by providingregister elements on the impression cylinder, which make contact withthe leading edge of an approaching sheet ahead of the gripperclosingpoint and define a path of abutment for the point of contact ofthat edge which extends to the gripping point as an involute of acircular section of the cylindersurface. In order to avoid relativemotion and friction between the moving sheet and these registerelements, the latter may be moved relative to the gripping point, as thecylinder rotates, in such F manner thattheir sheet contacting surfacesprogress on such'an involute. from an outwardly projected position wherethey extend across the path of the leading edge of an approaching sheetto an inward position adjacent the gripping point. The effective linearmotion of the front register surfaces thus is tangential with respect tothe printing zone and occurs at a speed corresponding to the surfacespeed of the cylinder until the register elements have reached a finalinward position where grippers, preferably though not necessarilycarried on the free ends of these elements, act to grip the leading edgeof the sheet to .the impression cylinder surface. Accordingly, theforces required for front register contactzremain moderate and constantat all press speeds.

The required side edge positioning may be obtained through anarrangement of co-acting, relatively stationary and moving elementsalong at least one side of the sheet path. A moving side register orpositioning element of little mass, which presents a relatively largeregister surface to aside edge of the sheet approaching the printingzone, is moved along a relatively stationary guide or cam surface. withmathematically determined accuracy into smooth. contact with the sheetedge. The moving element is advanced toward the front register elementswith each sheet at a speed in tangential or sheet-feeding directionequal to the speed of the sheet, and while it movesforward it isgradually brought laterally toward the desired position and into contactwith a side edge of the sheet so as to reach thatposition and insureaccurate lateral positioning of the sheet just before the grippers.close.. A similar arrangement may be provided on the opposite side ofthe sheet, its presser or register element moving forward with the sheetand the other side register, element so that positive engagement betweenthe latter and the sheet will be insured. Ina press for printing fairly.massive sheets, such as metal sheets, the register arrangement on oneside of the sheet path is provided with a guide or cam member which isheld yieldably at. a desired registering position and is displaceablelaterally from that-position Whenever the lateral pressure exertedthrough the advancing register elementby the side edge of an advancingsheet exceeds a predetermined value. The spring force or other forceapplied to position said member may be selected so that it will resumeits normal position and thus move the displaced sheet laterally to thedesired register position before the leading edge of the sheet reachesthe gripping point.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention and a preferredmanner of practicing it will be apparent from the following descriptionof mechanism embodying same, for the purpose of which descriptionreferlence should be had to the accompanying drawings, in w ich Fig. 1is a plan view of sheet feeding and registering mechanism embodying theprinciples of the invention, certain parts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing theseveral sheet positioning elements in the condition of first engagementof an advancing sheet with the front register surfaces.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l, ofthe side positioning mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the side positioning mechanism seen in Fig. 4,with certain parts broken away.

Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are fragmentary vertical sections showingsuccessive positions assumed by the front register and gripper mechanism1n operation.

Fig. 11 is a diagram indicating the approximate path of movement of thesheet-engaging surface of a front register element relative to thegripping point on the surface of the impression cylinder.

Fig. 12 is a plan view, partly in section, showing the registering andgripping mechanism of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 13 is afragmentary vertical section taken on line 1313 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 14 is a front elevation, partly in vertical section, of theimpression cylinder and front edge positioning mechanism as viewedapproximately from line 14-14 of Fig. 12.

Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are fragmentary vertical sections showingsuccessive positions assumed by the front register and gripper mechanismof the second embodiment in operation.

In the arrangements shown for the purposes of illustrating theprinciples of the invention, registering mechanism is provided wherebythe leading edge of each sheet advancing to the printing zone engagesfront register elements which are carried by an impression cylinder 15and are operated as it rotates so that the point of engagement of thesheet with each register element moves toward a gripping point on thecylinder surface in a curve which is approximately an involute of acircular cross section of that surface. Accordingly, during registeringengagement of the sheet and until it has reached gripping position itsspeed of movement can be kept constant.

Provision is made also for lateral registration of the sheet bymechanism which moves smoothly into contact with a side edge of theadvancing sheet at a speed in the direction of sheet movement equal tothe linear speed of the front register points in that direction, so thatthe required proper positioning of the whole sheet with respect to theimpression cylinder and a printing member 18a on a cooperating printingcylinder 18 will be obtained without damage to the edges of the sheet.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sheet 10 is movedforward on a table comprising parallel bars or runners 11 by pusherelements 12 on chains 13. The chains and pushers are driven at thesurface speed of the cylinders 15 and 18 by mechanism to be described,and the pushers engage the trailing edge of the sheet so as to advanceit into printing position between the two cylinders. In order to obtainaccurate positioning of the leading edge of the sheet with respect toprinting member 18a at printing position a plurality of registerelements 19 are carried by one of the cylinders, more conveniently theimpression cylinder, and these elements are brouhgt into contact withthe advancing sheet as it approaches printing position and move evenlywith it until it reaches substantially the point of tangency to theimpression cylinder, at which point it is gripped to the cylindersurface by grippers 20 which may be integral parts of the registerelements and are so shown.

The register grippers 19 are so controlled in their approach to sheetgripping position that their points of contact with the sheet follow apath, relative to the gripping point on the rotating impression cylindersurface, which corresponds to an involute of a cross section of thatsurface. At that point the gripper ends 20 close upon the leading edgeof the sheet to hold it to the impression cylinder as the printingmember 18a comes into action. The two cylinders having thus taken holdof the sheet, elements 19 promptly afterward are released fromengagement with it by being moved first outwardly and beyond its leadingedge and then angularly away from it so that the sheet can advancefreely beyond the printing zone in a straight line. Then these elementsare carried around the cylinder orbit in an idle position until theyagain approach the sheet path, when they are projected forwardly andoutwardly to extend across that path first ahead of the leading edge ofanother approaching sheet and then in contact with the latter.

The particular mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 10 for giving thesemovements to the front register elements comprises two rock shafts 21,22 parallel to the impression cylinder axis, journalled in and extendingthrough the cylinder heads. Sets of arms 23, 24 keyed to the shafts 21,22, respectively, carry pivoted thereto the register and gripperelements 19, each of which has a swivel connection at 23a with an arm 23and has a tail portion 19a swivelled at 24a to an arm 24. The rock shaft22, which controls the angular position of tail portions 19a, is urgedclockwise by a compression spring 31 acting on shaft 22 through an arm33 keyed to an end of the shaft; spring 31 being carried on a guide rod32 pivoted to arm 33, and bearing against lug 34 on the impressioncylinder head. The movements of the rock shafts, arms and front registerelements are controlled by a cam or cams 25 fixed to side frames of thepress, against which cams bear rollers 26 carried on arms 27 keyed tothe ends of shaft 21. The rollers are held in engagement with the camsby tension springs 29 anchored on pins 30 fixed in the cylinder heads.

The design of the cams and the arrangement of the several parts is suchthat the impression cylinder rotation bringing the register elements 19into the zone of their action produces outward movement of theseelements to a position across the path of the leading edge of anapproaching sheet, i. e., they move from below the sheet as seen in Fig.6 to a position extending above and ahead of the sheet as seen in Fig.7, after which a dip in cam 25 gives them a forward relative movement tosheet engaging position as seen in Fig. 8. From the moment when theleading edge of the advancing sheet engages the register elements, thecam and linkages cause the register surfaces of the elements to approachthe gripping point on the cylinder surface along a curve whichcorresponds to an involute of the cross-section of the cylinder, asindicated diagrammatically in Fig. 11 wherein the dotted curve Arepresents the preliminary and the sheet-contacting movements of theregister surfaces and the solid line B represents a true involute of thecylinder cross-section terminating at gripping point C on the cylindersurface. Upon the completion of the latter movement the gripper ends 20act to grip the sheet to the cylinder, as seen in Flg. 9. A continuingvalley in the cam 25 then causes the grippers to hold the sheet for aninterval sufficient to permit retention of the sheet between theprinting cylinder and the impression cylinder, after which a swell ofthe cam causes the register elements to move outwardly away from thesheet and then entirely out of its path under continued cylinderrotation. In the arrangement shown there is little relative movementbetween the register points on elements 19 and the leading edge of asheet bemg positioned by them; so it is not necessary to give aparticular shape to the faces of these elements in order to malntainproper contact.

The printing and impression cylinders and chains used to carry the sheetfeeding and side registering elements are driven by suitable gearing inthe necessary timed relation. At each end the cylinders are journalledin the side frames of the press. At least one of the journals carries agear which drives through an idler pinion 36, a pinion 37 keyed to atransverse shaft 38 located below a forward part of the sheet feedingtable. Shaft 38 in turn drives a parallel shaft 39 below a backward partof the table through chains 40 which pass at the front over sprockets 41splined to shaft 38 and, at the back, over sprockets 42 releasablypinned to shaft 39 by set screws 43. Sheet feed chains 13 carryingpushers 12 are each driven by a back sprocket fixed to shaft 39, andguided over a front sprocket 44 which is freely rotatable on shaft 38.The gears 35, 36 and 37 and the several sprockets are so proportionedthat the linear speed of the chains 13 and 40 will be the same as thesurface speed of the impression cylinder.

The invention provides an improved lateral registering mechanism forinsuring accurate positioning of the sheet as it is advanced to theprinting zone and especially at the moment of its engagement by thefront register elements on the impression cylinder. As. shown,- thelateral registering mechanism is duplicated on opposite sides of themachine, but elements on one side are mounted and adjusted so as toyield laterally under excessive sheet pressure, while elements on theother side are held to a fixed position in order to insure a definiteregistering position for each sheet.

In the form shown, a chain 40 at each side of the feed table carries aside register or presser finger 50 which moves forward with a sheetbeing fed by pushers 12 at the speed of movement of the sheet. Theposition of each finger is determined by a cam 51 which is disposedalong one side of the sheet path and against which the finger slidesduring forward movement so as to progress gradually from a positionsomewhat away from the desired path of the sheet to a predetermined sideregistering position where the opposite fingers will hold the sheetbetween them in proper registranon with printing member 18a and thefront register elements 19.

Each sprocket chain 40 has a wide link plate 65 (Figs. 4 and 5) to whichthe side register finger 5G is pivoted at 66. A plate 67 on the oppositeside of the chain provides anchorage for a spring 68 which holds finger50 against the face 51a of cam 51, which cam face slopes laterallyinward toward the desired path of the sheet and forces the finger 50gradually against the sheet during the feeding movement to provideregistration thereof. A stop 65a on plate 65 limits the movement offinger 50 when the cam is not engaged thereby.

In order to adjust the feeding and registering mechanism for sheets ofdilferent sizes, each side of the press comprises a bracket 52 whichsupports the cam 51 on that side and is fixed to guide rods 53 whichslide in the adjacent side frame 54 of the press. Each bracket 52 ismovable to any desired lateral position by turning a hand wheel 55 on ascrew 56 which is threaded into a socket 57 forming a part of thebracket. One end of the bracket engages in a groove 58 in the hub of thesprocket wheel 41 to move it along the shaft 38 to which it is splined,and the other end engages in a groove 59 in the hub of sprocket wheel 42for the same purpose. When set screws 43 of sprocket wheels 42 arereleased adjustment of the side registering mechanism can be made byturning the hand wheel 55, and adjustment of the relative position ofthe pushers 12 on feed chains 13 can be made by rotating the shaft 39while holding the sprocket wheels 42 in fixed position.

As seen in further detail in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, each cam 51 is pivoted at70 to the corresponding bracket 52, and its forward end is heldyieldably inward by a spring. 71 compressed between depending car 73 onthe cam and an adjustable nut 74 on a stud 75 secured in the bracket.The finger 50 is moved gradually inward against the sheet 11) byengagement with the cam face 51a during the feeding movement until, justbefore the leading edge of the sheet is gripped against the cylinder,the finger passes the front end of the cam and is retracted against stop65a by spring 68.

A top guide and cover member 76 is secured by screws 77 to the top ofthe cam and extends over the cam face and the path of finger 50 to-aposition above the sheet path where a depending lip '78 is provided tokeep a sheet 10 from bulging away from the finger. The cam 51 on oneside of the press preferably has its tensioning nut 74 tightened to holdit in fixed position, so that its finger 50 provides a positive registerposition'for oneside of the sheet 10, while the similar nut on the otherside of the press is shown backed off to give the desired compression toits spring 71 whereby the corresponding finger 50 on that side willyieldably position the sheet.

In the second illustrative embodiment of the invention, as seen in Figs.12 to 19, the sheet feeding and side registering elements aresubstantially the same as those above described, but a different form ofcam-controlled operating mechanism is provided for the front registerelements. Again, however, those elements are carried by the impressioncylinder, and their effective movements relative to it and incoordination with the other elements Q; are substantially the same as inthe embodiment first described.

Here the combined register-gripper elements 81 are carried by a swingingrock shaft which in turn may be carried by arms 82 fastenedto a rockshaft 83 fixed in the impression cylinder, and two cams 87 and 95 areprovided on opposite sides of the press frame to bring about therequired movements of the rock shafts and register elements as theimpression cylinder rotates. Rock shaft 83 is journalled in the cylinderheads, while swinging rock shaft 80 is carried rotatably in the arms 82and extends through and moves freely in a slot 84 in one of the cylinderheads. The front register elements 81 are pinned to shaft 80 so as tomove with'it, and its extended end beyond slot 84 carries an arm 97which holds a roller 96 against cam 95. An arm 85 keyed to rock shaft 83carries a roller 86 bearing on cam 8710 control the rocking movement ofshaft 83 and thereby the position of shaft 80 relative to the impressioncylinder surface.

Ordinarily the cam 87 and the control arm and roller which control theradial movement of rock shaft 83 would not be shown in Figs. 15 to 19because of the position at which the sections are taken, but for thepurposes of disclosure of the operation cam 87 is shown in broken linesto indicate its relative position.

A tension spring 88 is connected to an extension of the pin on whichroller 86 is mounted and anchored on a pin in the adjacent cylinder headto hold this roller in contact with the cam 87. In addition to the arms82 carrying rock shaft 80' from rock shaft 83, a lever member 90 (Figs.12 and 13) keyed to shaft 83 has one arm 91 similar to the arms 82providing an additional journal support for shaft 86 outside-of thecylinder end and. has another arm 92 which'is shown as L-shapedproviding anchorage for a tension spring 93. Spring 93 is connected toan extension of the pin on which roller 96 is mounted and maintains thisroller in contact with the stationary cam 95.

The design of the cams 87 and 95 and the arrangement of connected partsis such that the points of contact between the advancing sheet and theregister elements81 move toward the gripping point on the impressioncylinder, during the approach of the sheet to printing position, along acurve which corresponds to an involute of a section of the impressioncylinder. The several positions of parts appearing in Figs. 15 to 19indicate the operation obtained and indicate that it is like theoperation described in connection with Figs. 1 to 11.

The foregoing particular description of selected embodiments of theinvention is illustrative merely and is not intended as defining thelimits of the invention. Various modifications in form, construction andarrangement may be made without departing from thespirit of theinvention.

We claim:

1. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, and means acting upon said element as it is advancedby said conveyor to deflect said element laterally relative to saidconveyor and guide it through a predetermined side edge registering pathsloped toward the-path of the sheet.

2. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, and a normally stationary cam mounted at said side ofsaid table having an elongated surface disposed in the path of advanceof said element and sloped gradually toward the path of the sheet fordeflecting said element laterally into registering contact with saidside edge as said element is advanced by said conveyor.

3. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, and a normally stationary cam mounted at said side ofsaid table in the path of advance of said element for deflecting saidelement laterally into registering contact with said side edge, said camhaving an elongated backward portion gradually sloped laterally towardthe path of the sheet and a merging forward portion extended parallel tosaid sheet path and along which said element is advanced by saidconveyor in sustained contact with said side edge.

4. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, yieldable means biasing said element laterally awayfrom the sheet path to a predetermined position relative to saidconveyor, and means acting upon said element as it is advanced by saidconveyor to deflect said element laterally relative to said conveyoragainst the bias of said yieldable means and guide said element througha predetermined side edge registering path sloped gradually toward saidsheet path.

5. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, and a normally stationary cam mounted at said side ofsaid table in the path of advance of said element for deflecting saidelement laterally into registering contact with said side edge, said camhaving an elongated backward portion gradually sloped laterally towardthe path of the sheet and a merging forward portion extended parallel tosaid sheet path and along which said element is advanced by saidconveyor in sustained contact with said side edge, said cam beingpivoted at its backward end on a relatively fixed vertical axis, andyieldable means normally biasing its forward end laterally toward saidsheet path to a predetermined registering position.

6. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, and a normally stationary cam mounted at said side ofsaid table in the path of advance of said element for deflecting saidelement laterally into registering contact with said side edge,

said cam having an elongated backward portion gradually sloped laterallytoward the path of the sheet and a merging forward portion extendedparallel to said sheet path and along which said element is advanced bysaid conveyor in sustained contact with said side edge, a pivotalmounting for the backward end of said cam about which said forwardportion is swingable laterally, a lateral stop for positioning saidforward portion, spring means normally biasing said cam laterally towardsaid sheet path into contact with said stop, and a normally stationaryframe member supporting said mounting, said stop and said spring means.

7. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, a conveyor carrying said element andmovable along said side in an extended path to advance said elementtherealong, said conveyor moving through said path in a directionparallel to the direction of the feeding of the sheet, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for so moving said conveyor throughsaid path at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, and a normaliy stationary cam mounted at said side ofsaid table in the path of advance of said element for deflecting saidelement laterally into registering contact with said side edge, said camhaving an elongated backward portion gradually sloped laterally towardthe path of the sheet and a merging forward portion extended parallel tosaid sheet path and along which said element is advanced by saidconveyor in sustained contact with said side edge, a pivotal mountingfor the backward end of said cam about which said forward portion isswingable laterally, a lateral stop for positioning said forwardportion, spring means normally biasing said cam laterally toward saidsheet path into contact with said stop, and a normally stationary framemember snpporting said mounting, said stop and said spring means, saidframe member being adjustable in a direction transverse to said sheetpath to adjust the mechanism for sheets of different sizes.

8. In a sheet feeding and registering mechanism including a stationarysheet feed table and means for feeding a sheet thereover, a sideregister element movable along a side of said table to engage andposition a side edge of the sheet, an endless conveyor carrying saidelement, said conveyor being entirely below said table and having anelongated upper flight extending and moving in a direction parallel tothe direction of the feeding of the sheet, said element projectingupwardly from said conveyor to a position above said table as the conveyor advances said element through said upper flight, meanssynchronized with said feeding means for moving said conveyor throughsaid flight at the same speed as the speed of the feeding of the sheet,means mounting said element so that it is deflectable laterally relativeto said conveyor, a normally stationary cam mounted at said side of saidtable having an elongated surface disposed in the path of advance ofsaid element and sloped gradually toward the path of the sheet fordeflecting said element laterally into registering contact with saidside edge as said element is advanced by said conveyor, a normallystationary frame member supporting said cam, said frame member and saidconveyor each being adjustable in a direction transverse to said. sheetpath to adjust the mechanism for sheets of dilferent sizes, and meansinterconnecting said frame member and said conveyor for simultaneousadjusting movements thereof.

9. In a sheet-fed printing press or the like including a cylinderrotatable through a sheet gripping zone and a stationary sheet feedtable adjacent thereto, a pusher for feeding a sheet along said tableinto said zone by engaging the trailing edge of the sheet, a registerelement movable along said table to engage a side edge of an advancingsheet, parallel endless conveyors entirely below said table respectivelycarrying said pusher and said side register element therealong, saidconveyors having advancing flights extending and which move in adirection parallel to the direction of feeding of the sheet, said pusherand said side register element extending upwardly from said flights toworking positions above said table, a relatively fixed cam above and atone side of said table in the path of advance of said register elementto move said element laterally into contact with the sheet, and commondriving means for said conveyors synchronized with the rotation of saidcylinder to advance said pusher and said side register element in saiddirection at the surface speed of said cylinder.

10. In a sheet-fed printing press or the like including a cylinderrotatable through a sheet gripping zone and a stationary sheet feedtable adjacent thereto, a pusher for feeding a sheet along said tableinto said zone by engaging the trailing edge of the sheet, a registerelement movable along said table to engage a side edge of an advancingsheet, parallel endless conveyors entirely below said table respectivelycarrying said pusher and said side register element therealong, saidconveyors having advancing flights extending and which move in adirection parallel to the direction of feeding of the sheet, said pusherand said side register element extending upwardly from said flights toworking positions above said table, a relatively fixed cam above and atone side of said table in the path of advance of said register elementto move the conveyor for said side register element each beingadjustable in a direction transverse to the path of the sheet to adjustthe mechanism for sheets of different size, and means interconnectingsaid frame member and the last mentioned sprockets for simultaneousadjusting movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,979,253 Coy Nov. 6, 1934 2,245,396 Harrold June 10, 1941 2,488,551Nordquist Nov. 22, 1949 2,490,085 Nordquist Dec. 6, 1949 2,593,148 HuckApr. 15, 1952

